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It’s all about the WHY

A couple of days ago, while I was developing some questions for a senior executive interview process, Aaron our Chief Awesomeness Officer made a good point. He claimed to know the best ever interview question, which got me intrigued.

“Just ask them WHY”

And he’s right, that simple word can evoke so much out of an interview. But so often we over complicate what should be a straightforward process; by trying to develop clever questions that we think will really test applicants metal.

So many times I have sat in an interview bewildered that so few people answer this question really well.

“Why are you interested in this job?” “Why did you apply for this role?”

Nine times out of ten this question elicits a raft of reasons why they aren’t happy in their current role or organisation – rather than outlining why this job or organisation (ideally you would discuss both aspects) is of interest.

This is because many people get caught up in the “what’s in this for me” aspect of job seeking, which is fine – but keep that to yourself. It’s important to demonstrate that you are keen to develop and progress in your career and therefore your rationale for applying, but you also need to show a keen interest in the organisation and/or sector – along with what you will contribute.

An effective interview is a mutual process. Gone are the days where candidates should passively sit back and wait to respond to questions. To effectively build rapport, an informed two-way discussion needs to take place where both sides display genuine interest.

This takes good preparation and critical thinking and this is where those individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence come to the fore. A great interview process allows both parties to ensure the technical, behavioural and cultural aspects fit – it’s a shame so many don’t get this right…….

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About Eden Ritchie Recruitment

We are a Brisbane business developed with the needs of the Queensland market in mind. Being locally owned and operated ensures that we are committed to playing our part in growing the Queensland economy. Eden Ritchie Recruitment was established in March 1996 by Kim Ritchie and Justine Eden, whose combined recruitment industry experience exceeds 40 years. Since its inception Eden Ritchie Recruitment has gone from strength to strength. Why?
For the same reason all good businesses succeed; ability, commitment, dedication, self-belief and tenacity. However more important than all of these necessary attributes, there exists the innate understanding that to succeed in this competitive market, we must constantly adapt and recast ourselves to ensure our continuous alignment with the needs of both employers and candidates. We believe that ‘focused’ is the word that best describes our approach to all aspects of the recruitment profession.
Our mission statement:
To provide a professional, individually tailored recruitment service to both employers and candidates through the development of long term relationships and an understanding of market demands.

2 thoughts on “It’s all about the WHY”

Your piece agrees with all I’ve ever believed about interviews.. keep it simple! An interview should be like a conversation, not an interrogation of questions, where both parties give and gain beneficial information. Many times I’ve experienced an interviewer I could tell lacked knowledge of the subject by the manner of their questioning.